VBrick Online Streaming Services

VBoss v1.5Admin Guide

April 1, 20094410-0248-0000

VBrick Online Streaming Services

Copyright

© 2009 VBrick Systems, Inc. All rights reserved.12 Beaumont RoadWallingford, Connecticut 06492, USAwww.VBrick.comThis publication contains confidential, proprietary, and trade secret information. No part of this document may be copied, photocopied, reproduced, translated, or reduced to any machine-readable or electronic format without prior written permission from VBrick. Information in this document is subject to change without notice and VBrick Systems assumes no responsibility or liability for any errors or inaccuracies. VBrick, VBrick Systems, the VBrick logo, StreamPlayer, and StreamPlayer Plus are trademarks or registered trademarks in the United States and other countries. Windows Media is a trademarked name of Microsoft Corporation in the United States and other countries. Flowerfire is a trademark of Sawmill. All other products or services mentioned in this document are identified by the trademarks, service marks, or product names as designated by the companies who market those products. Inquiries should be made directly to those companies. This document may also have links to third-party web pages that are beyond the control of VBrick. The presence of such links does not imply that VBrick endorses or recommends the content on those pages. VBrick acknowledges the use of third-party open source software and licenses in some VBrick products. This freely available source code is posted at www.vbrick.com/opensource.

About VBrick Systems

Founded in 1997, VBrick Systems, an ISO 9001 certified vendor, is a privately held company that has enjoyed rapid growth by helping our customers successfully introduce mission critical video applications across their enterprise networks. Since our founding, VBrick has been setting the standard for quality, performance and innovation in the delivery of live and stored video over IP networks—LANs, WANs and the Internet. With thousands of video appliances installed world-wide, VBrick is the recognized leader in reliable, high-performance, easy-to-use networked video solutions.VBrick is an active participant in the development of industry standards and continues to play an influential role in the Internet Streaming Media Alliance (ISMA), the MPEG Industry Forum, and Internet2. In 1998 VBrick invented and shipped the world's first MPEG Video Network Appliance designed to provide affordable DVD-quality video across the network. Since then, VBrick's video solutions have grown to include Video on Demand, Management, Security and Access Control, Scheduling, and Rich Media Integration. VBrick solutions are successfully supporting a broad variety of applications including distance learning and training, conferencing and remote office communications, security, process monitoring, traffic monitoring, business and news feeds to the desktop, webcasting, corporate communications, collaboration, command and control, and telemedicine. VBrick serves customers in education, government, healthcare, and financial services markets among others.

http://www.vbrick.com/help/opensource/opensource.html

VBoss Admin Guide iii

Contents

Welcome

VBoss v1.5 Online Help . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . vGetting Help . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . vFont Conventions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . viPrinter-Friendly . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . viCopyright. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . vi

1. Introduction

Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1Application Overview . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2Login . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4

2. Quick Start

Getting Started. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5Step 1. Setup the Appliance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5Step 2. Upload Content . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5Step 3. Configure the Encoder . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5Step 4. Add a Video Lineup . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5Step 5. Add a Video Player . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6Step 6. Add a Scheduled Event . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6Step 7. Manage Syndication. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6Step 8. View Reports . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6

3. Channel Administrator

Account Manager . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7My Account . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7Edit Users . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8Notification . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9Access Manager . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10Change Password . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11Encoder Settings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11

Content Manager . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12Live Webcasting. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12Upload Manager . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12Asset Library . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14Events Scheduling . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14Video Lineups . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17Video Players. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20Unpublished Videos . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26Syndication Requests . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26Manage Syndication. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28

iv Contents

View Comments . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28Report Manager . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29

Account Summary Report . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30Live Streaming Report. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30Revenue Report . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 31VOD Report . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 32Syndication Report . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 32

4. Publisher Administrator

Asset Library . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 33Aggregate Library Content . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34

Events Scheduling . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34Aggregate Schedule Content . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 35

Dashboard Summary . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 35

5. Admin Knowledge Base

Channel Administrators . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 37

6. User Knowledge Base

End Users . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 47

7. FAQs

Frequently Asked Questions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 53

VBoss Admin Guide v

WelcomeThis online help is best viewed with Internet Explorer 6.0 (Windows), Safari 1.2 (Macintosh), or Firefox 2.0 (Linux) at a minimum screen resolution of 1024x768. (The pages and the application may not display or function properly with earlier versions or other browsers.) For best results, please take a few minutes to upgrade your browser from the update pages at Microsoft, Apple, or Mozilla. Copyright © 2009 VBrick, Inc. All rights reserved. Last updated: April 1, 2009

VBoss v1.5 Online Help

This online help system provides access to all VBoss documentation. It has a powerful search engine so you can get answers to technical questions in seconds; it also has the documentation in PDF format if you need hard-copy. Our publications team is committed to providing first-rate documentation and your feedback is important to us. If you find errors or omissions, click the e-mail icon in the upper-right corner of this window or send your feedback to [email protected]

Getting Help

If you need help, or more information about any topic, use the online help system. The online help is cross-referenced and searchable and can usually find the information in a few seconds. Use the tree controls in the left pane to open documents and the up and down arrows to page through them. Use the Search box to find specific information. Simply enter one or more words in the box and press Enter. The search results will return pages that have all of the words you entered—highlighted in yellow (Internet Explorer only). The Search box is not case-sensitive and does not recognize articles (a, an, the), operators (+ and –), or quotation marks. You can narrow the search by adding words.

If you can't find the information you need from the online help, please contact your authorized VBrick reseller. They are trained and certified by VBrick and can provide help and technical support for all VBrick products. For additional information, use the VBrick Support Services "On-Line Support" page at www.vbrick.com/support/index.asp or call

Introduction Describes the VBoss value proposition and provides a detailed overview of the application including installation and login.

Quick Start Explains in detail the steps needed to customize a channel, add video, and quickly establish a video presence on the web.

Channel Administrator Explains in detail how to manage a channel, and how to create lineups, players, and generate reports.

Publisher Administrator Explains how to aggregate stored video and scheduled events, and how to generate a Dashboard Summary of all channel activities.

Admin Knowledge Base Provides a list of knowledge base articles written especially for system administrators.

User Knowledge Base Provides a list of knowledge base articles written especially for end users.

FAQs Provides a general list of frequently asked questions about VBoss and how it works.

mailto:[email protected]

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vi Welcome

1 203 303-0222 in Wallingford, CT, USA to speak with a VBrick representative. Note that the latest documentation for this product and information for all VBrick products is available online at www.vbrick.com/documentation

Font Conventions

Arial bold is used to describe dialog boxes and menu choices, for example: Start > All Programs > VBrick

Courier fixed-width font is used for scripts, code examples, or keyboard commands.

Courier bold fixed-width font is used for user input in scripts, code examples, or keyboard commands.

This bold black font is used to strongly emphasise important words or phrases.

Folder names and user examples in text are displayed in this sans serif font.

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Printer-Friendly

Click on the following link to print a hard copy of this document.VBoss Admin Guide

To save or print a PDF document

1. Click once to open the PDF document in Acrobat Reader.2. To save or print a PDF document, right-click and select Save Target As or Print Target.

Copyright

© 2009 VBrick, Inc. All rights reserved.

This publication contains confidential, proprietary, and trade secret information. No part of this document may be copied, photocopied, reproduced, translated, or reduced to any machine-readable or electronic format without prior written permission from VBrick. Information in this document is subject to change without notice and VBrick Systems assumes no responsibility or liability for any errors or inaccuracies.VBrick, VBrick Systems, the VBrick logo, StreamPlayer, and StreamPlayer Plus are trademarks or registered trademarks in the United States and other countries. Windows Media is a trademarked name of Microsoft Corporation in the United States and other countries. All other products or services mentioned in this document are identified by the trademarks, service marks, or product names as designated by the companies who market those products. Inquiries should be made directly to those companies. This document may also have links to third-party web pages that are beyond the control of VBrick. Use these links at your own risk. The use of such links does not imply that VBrick endorses or recommends the content of any third-party web pages. Some VBrick products use open source software provided by third parties. VBrick acknowledges the use of third-party open source licenses and software in some VBrick products. This freely available source code is posted at http://www.vbrick.com/opensource

http://www.vbrick.com/opensource

http://www.vbrick.com/opensource

http://www.vbrick.com/documentation/index.html

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VBoss_AdminGuide.pdf

VBoss Admin Guide 1

Chapter 1

IntroductionTopics in this section

Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1Application Overview . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2Login . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4

IntroductionVBrick's flagship technology is our live networked video appliances used by corporations, governments, educational institutions, and military organizations worldwide for mission critical applications. Built on the same robust video streaming technology, the VBrick Online Streaming Services (VBoss) provides the same level of dependability enjoyed by government and corporations at an affordable cost. VBrick provides you with everything you need to have an Internet TV presence.

Figure 1. VBoss Super Player Template

VBoss is a complete service package that enables you to stream, manage, monetize, and deliver your video content. This end-to-end solution includes live video capture hardware (a VBrick Windows Media appliance), the VBoss application, packaged bandwidth and storage options, and tools that monetize content, provide reporting, and manage communities and social networks. The VBoss portal is designed as a business-to-business tool for the

2 © 2009 VBrick Systems, Inc.

placement and distribution of video assets. The target audiences are content owners across corporations, healthcare, education, government, finance, and politics. Coupled with VBrick's WM appliance, the VBoss will enable video content publishers to:

• Broadcast a live video broadcast of an event• Watch stored videos on-demand• Manage VBrick appliances remotely• Provide e-commerce capabilities • Enable monetizing of content using advertising capabilities• Manage end-user subscriber communities • Provide community generation tools.

Application OverviewVBoss is the publishing component of VBrick's VBoss online streaming service. It is the backend management application that actually lets you create streaming video channels, populate them with live and stored video, and customize attractive, personalized viewer pages for end users. VBoss runs in a browser. The Channel Administrator is used to design and manage "channels". A channel is a web page (like the one shown in Figure 1 above) that can display live and/or stored video in an embedded media player. Anyone with minimal web skills can run VBoss and no special skills or other applications or utilities are required except for a graphics editor like PhotoShop or Paint.

All channels can display a "live web cast" which is actually a live video feed coming from a VBrick Windows Media (WM) encoder. The VBrick will encode and stream whatever is being used as video input. This might be live video from a sporting event or a full-length movie from a DVD player. You can have one encoder for each channel or you can have one encoder "pushing" the same live stream to multiple channels. VBoss is highly customizable and can give any private or commercial enterprise an immediate video presence on the web.

A VBoss administrator will use both the Publisher Administrator and the Channel Administrator. The Publisher Admin is like a super user. It used to create and maintain the Publisher viewer page. The Publisher page aggregates the stored video from all defined channels—it does not upload its own video. Instead it has links to video uploaded by associated channels. All video is stored on Akamai's worldwide network of server for fast access. The publisher also aggregates and displays live scheduled events from all associated channels.

A VBoss installation will typically have one publisher page and multiple channel pages. There is a Channel Administrator associated with each channel page. This Channel Administrator designs and maintains the channel page and uploads video. A typical VBoss community might be a campus environment where there is one Publisher Admin at the university level who maintains the university ("publisher") page, and multiple Channel Admins at the department level who maintain the individual department ("channel") pages.

Introduction

VBoss Admin Guide 3

Figure 2. Content Manager Page

VBoss runs in a browser and has no unusual hardware and software requirements. The following tables show the minimum hardware and software required for it to run successfully.

Table 1. Desktop Requirements

Table 2. Operating System Requirements

Hardware • 75 MB of available hard drive space

Software • Internet Explorer 6.0 (Windows) • Safari 1.2 (Macintosh) • Firefox 2.0 (Linux)

Windows XP • Microsoft Windows XP Home Edition (Service Pack 2 or higher)• Microsoft Windows XP Professional (Service Pack 2 or higher)• Microsoft Windows XP Professional x64 Edition • Intel Pentium 300 MHz processor or higher (or equivalent)• 256 MB free RAM

Windows Vista • Microsoft Windows Vista Starter 32-bit • Microsoft Windows Vista Home Basic (32/64 bit) • Microsoft Windows Vista Home Premium (32/64 bit) • Microsoft Windows Vista Business (32/64 bit) • Microsoft Windows Vista Enterprise (32/64 bit) • Microsoft Windows Vista Ultimate (32/64 bit) • Intel Pentium 800 MHz 32-bit(x86)/64-bit(x64) processor or higher• 512 MB free RAM


LoginAfter you purchase VBoss VBrick will create a dedicated publisher account on the host server and provide you with unique login credentials. You launch VBoss with the URL provided by VBrick.

http://www.vbossengage.com/engage

When the following window is displayed, login to VBoss with the e-mail address and password provided by VBrick. You cannot change the e-mail address but you can change the password as soon as you log in using the Account Manager > Change Password.

Figure 3. VBoss Login Window

Figure 4. Login Window with Multiple Channel Accounts

After logging in, the first thing you will typically do is change the password. Each user is uniquely identified by an e-mail address (for example [email protected]) linked to the account name, and will have an associated password. To keep things simple and save time when logging in, the VBoss application will display all account names that have the same password and you can easily select the channel you want to modify. For example if you have three different channel accounts with the same password as the publisher, a window similar to the one shown above will be displayed.


VBoss Admin Guide 5

Chapter 2

Quick StartGetting Started

Use the following steps (in the order shown) to quickly get started using VBoss. You are encouraged to refer to other parts of this document, as necessary, for more information or additional details about any features or functions.

Step 1. Setup the Appliance

1. Unpack appliance. Take the quick start guide, accessory kit, and VBoss VBrick appliance out of the box.

2. Obtain a video source. Get a camera, DVD player with DVD playing, or other compatible video source to be streamed on your VBoss site.

3. Plug the video source into the appliance. Connect the audio and video outputs from your source into the VBrick appliance using the cables and converters (if necessary) in the VBoss accessory kit.

4. Plug in the VBrick appliance. Plug the VBrick into a power source and into an active high-speed Internet connection. Check with your network administrator that video streaming is not blocked by your network.

Step 2. Upload Content

1. Login to VBoss as a channel administrator. Browse to www.vbossengage.com/engage and enter the username and password provided to you.

2. Upload VOD content. In the web-based VBoss application, go to the Content Manager and click on Upload Manager. Browse to the videos you want to upload, enter a title, description and meta search tags, and select a thumbnail image.

Step 3. Configure the Encoder

1. Go to the Encoder Settings menu and choose your encoder settings. 2. Select whether the video input to your VBrick appliance uses the Composite port or

S-Video port.3. Select whether your video aspect ratio is Normal 4:3 or Widescreen 16:9. 4. Select which video bit rate(s) you would like to broadcast, 768, 512, and/or 268 Kbps. 5. Select whether you need Audio Gain for your stream. 6. Enable/Disable the live stream. Go to the Content Manager and click on Live

Webcasting. Use the Change Streaming Status button as necessary. Change the status to On Air before testing and change status back to Off Air when done.

Step 4. Add a Video Lineup

1. Create a New Video Lineup, with a Title and Description, and with Live Streaming enabled. Select whether you would like any or all of these videos to be Pay-Per-View or subscription-based. You may create up to 25 Video Lineups.



2. Set Lineup Access as either Public or Subscriber. If Subscriber, select which groups or which sole individual can access this lineup. You can set up groups of users with the Access Manager on the Account Manager menu. You can add users from the Edit Users tab.

3. In the Lineup Content tab, move selected content from the Asset Library to this lineup and select the Featured Video and/or which video to use as a pre-roll clip. If you selected Assign Pay Rate for Videos, edit the payment amount for each video.

Step 5. Add a Video Player

1. Add a New Video Player with a Title and Description and select either the Windows Media player or the JW player (which will play Silverlight and Flash content as well as Windows Media video).

2. Select the Video Lineup you want this player to use.3. From the Player Template tab, select the template that you would like to use. 4. On the Player Styles tab, you can modify the font and color scheme for this player. 5. On the Player Content tab, insert ad images and logos. 6. On the Player Syndication tab, you can choose to allow syndication of this player so that

it can be played elsewhere and shared with other domains. 7. Browse to your viewing site to test the live video. Click on the Portal URL listed near the

top of the VBoss application window and you should see your live stream.

Step 6. Add a Scheduled Event

1. To schedule a live event, go to Events Scheduling on the Content Manager menu. 2. Enter a Title and Description as well as Start and End time and date. 3. Select how long before your event time you would like to go On-Air as well as Event

Category, Event Notes and Pay Rate, if applicable4. Select whether you would like to record this event and at what bit rates as well as whether

you want to auto FTP the video when recording is done. You can also choose to make this a recurring event

5. Finally, you have the option to notify user groups about this upcoming event.

Step 7. Manage Syndication

1. In the Content Manager, go to Syndication Requests. Use this page to approve or reject requests to syndicate your player.

2. Go to Syndication Manager to update or view each syndicated player.

Step 8. View Reports

1. From your Report Manager menu, you can view the Account Summary Report which will display all access to your channel between the specified dates.

2. The Live Streaming Report displays Stream Hits, Bandwidth consumed, and other data. 3. The Revenue Report shows the number of views and income for each paid video. 4. The VOD Report shows the number of views and play duration of each stored video. 5. The Syndication Report shows the number of views for each player on each domain.

VBoss Admin Guide 7

Chapter 3

Channel AdministratorThe Channel Administrator can access and manage channel accounts. Channels can only be created by a VBoss Administrator. They cannot be created by a channel administrator or a publisher. A Channel Administrator can customize the channel by adding live and stored video, text labels, corporate logos, advertising images, pay-per-view options, community features, scheduled events, and other standard features.

Topics in this section

Account Manager . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7Content Manager . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12Report Manager . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29

Account Manager

My Account

Use this page to edit your account settings, such as your channel administrator's name, address, and phone number, as well as your secret question and answer, which is used if you forget your password. You can also change your Channel Listing Logo and the categories which apply to your channel.

Note A Channel Administrator cannot create channels. All channels must be created in advance by a VBrick VBoss administrator.


Edit Users

Use this page to edit information about the users who are registered as viewers of your channel. You can add and delete users, either one at a time or as a bulk import from a Microsoft Excel spreadsheet. Users are typically added when they click Register on a player page and enter a username, password, and other information. A user must be registered in order to watch a pay-per-view video. The Login Status shows all users who are currently logged in. Use Deactivate to lock a user account, Delete to completely remove.

Add/Edit Users Use this page to add or edit individual user accounts and/or assign them to groups. Newly created users will receive an e-mail confirmation.

Channel Administrator

VBoss Admin Guide 9

Bulk ImportUse this page to import users from an Excel spreadsheet in the format shown below.

Notification

Use this page to notify registered subscribers, groups, or guests of important events or changes to the channel. For example, you might to notify channel viewers that a new video is available or that a live, scheduled event is about to begin. An e-mail will be sent to all registered subscribers using their current account information. Note that although the editor is a fully-featured word processor some functions (e.g. the Flash Manager) are not currently supported and reserved for future use.

Notify Registered Subscribers Notify registered subscribers by category.

Notify Group Notify group(s) of potential viewers.

Notify Guests Notify guests individually, with an Excel spreadsheet, or a comma-separated text file.

Select Category Notify users by selected category.


Access Manager

Use this page to setup and manage groups of users. A user (subscriber) can belong to multiple groups as defined on t his page. Groups are especially useful when defining access to lineups.

Use Edit to modify a specific group; use User Group Management to work with a list of all groups.


VBoss Admin Guide 11

Change Password

Use this window to change the password for the channel administrator. When configuring a channel, the first thing you should do is change the password.

Encoder Settings

VBoss can send up to three streams of varying quality to your service provider. Your viewers will receive and play the highest bit rate stream that their network and desktop can handle. Use this page to configure the video settings that are best for your environment and to select which stream(s) you want to send. For best results select all streams.

Video input source The input can be set to accept either Composite or S-Video.

Video aspect ratio This option describes the ratio of the width (in pixels) of the image to the height of the image. Standard TV images generally use an aspect ratio of 4:3. Set this value to match the video input source, either (4:3) or (16:9).

Video quality 768 KBps – highest quality512 KBps – medium quality286 KBps – standard quality


Content ManagerThe Channel Manager handles most of the tasks associated with managing and customizing a channel. For example, you use the Channel Manager to define a live webcasting stream, upload video and set Pay Pal amounts, or create lineups and players.

Live Webcasting

A Live Webcast is the stream from a VBrick Windows Media encoder that launches in the player window when a viewer clicks on the Live tab. You can change the On Air status and the Alternate Live Source. All other fields are read-only.

Upload Manager

The Upload Manager is used to upload video files to the VBoss server. There are two ways to upload files. One method uses the internal upload feature; the other method uses an external desktop application that you can download from VBrick. The difference is that the external Upload Manager automatically generates thumbnails for each video; the internal Upload Manager does not generate thumbnails. The internal Upload Manager requires that you browse to an existing 70x54 px thumbnail for each video.

Audio Gain This setting controls the audio attenuation (or gain) applied to the audio input: from 49 dB to -53 dB and mute. Default = 0 dB. A setting of 7 dB is full volume and -53 dB effectively mutes the appliance.

Change Streaming Status Toggle the live stream On or Off.

Alternative Live Source Enter the fully qualified URL of an alternate live source. If using an alternate source, a Live Streaming Report will not be generated.



Internal Upload Manager

When uploading files, use the following window to enter a title, description, searchable meta data tags, categories, and an expiration date. When the current date matches the expiration date, the video will no longer be available for viewing and will be removed from the Asset Manager. You can enter up to 50 characters of descriptive, comma-separated Video Tags (i.e. metadata) that viewers can use to search for this video.

External Upload ManagerWindows only. The external upload manager is a desktop application that you can download from VBrick. The external Upload Manager can automatically generate thumbnails for each

Note There is an Allotted Storage and Allotted Bandwidth value associated with each channel. You may experience unpredictable results if you approach or exceed the allotted values when uploading files.


video. Select Random Frames and choose a thumbnail or User Defined Frames and Preview the manually selected frame numbers.

Asset Library

This page shows all uploaded video that is currently associated available on your channel. You can use this page to edit or delete assets. You can add or modify any of the information that was originally associated with the video and you can change the thumbnail.

Events Scheduling

This page displays all currently scheduled live events. Use this page to create or remove upcoming live events. Any items you add will be shown on the Schedule tab on the viewer page. Use Add New Event to create a new event; use Edit Event to modify an existing event. Events currently in progress (with a Status of Active) cannot be edited or deleted. Live events can be recorded and auto FTPed if desired (from the Webcast Settings tab). Use the Stop



button to stop recording an event currently in progress. To see viewer and bandwidth statistics for a live event, run the Live Streaming Report.

Add New Event

Event Setup

Click Add New Event and navigate through the wizard to create a new event. Your changes are saved when you click Next. If editing an event, make sure you click Next on each page to save any changes you have made.

Event Details

Use this page to describe the event, set the Stream Recording Duration (if you will be recording the event), and set a Pay Rate in U.S. dollars if there will be a fee to view this event.


Webcast Settings

Use this page to record the scheduled event and to Auto FTP after recording to the VBoss server when the recording is done. If you select Auto FTP, the video will be subsequently available on the Unpublished Videos page when done and you can add it the Asset Library (and to a channel) if desired. If this will be a recurring event, select the Repeat frequency and the number of times. Note that events currently in progress (with a Status of Active) cannot be edited or deleted. When done click Submit to save your changes.

You can record one or all of the streams shown on this page. However the streams you select are encoded as one file and there are limits on size. The file size of all recorded streams cannot exceed 4 gigabytes or 12 hours—whichever comes first. Table 3 shows typical files sizes and record times. The recording will stop when it reaches the maximum file size or duration.

Table 3. Maximum Recording Size/Duration

Stream Quality Max Size Max Duration

768 KBps Highest 4 GB 10.5 hours

512 KBps Medium 4 GB 6.5 hours



Notification

Use this page to notify selected viewers by e-mail that an upcoming event has been scheduled. You can select Public in which case all registered subscribers are notified or you can select specific groups of defined subscribers.

Video Lineups

In VBoss one video player is active at any time and it must be associated with a lineup. A lineup is basically the content available to the active player. It is an object that defines viewable content, access to that content, and any scheduled events. You must create a lineup and associate it with a player before you can stream video. Click Enable Live to enable or disable live streaming on the selected lineup.

286 KBps Standard 4 GB 11 hours

All 3 streams at once

4 GB 5.25 hours

Note One lineup can be associated with multiple players but there is a maximum of 25 lineups per channel.

Stream Quality Max Size Max Duration


Add Video LineupTo add a lineup, click on the Add Video Lineup button and navigate through the wizard. When done, the lineup will be added to the Video Lineup page and will be available to any of the defined players.

Lineup Setup

Use this page to add a lineup title and description and to set payment options. Make any desired changes and click Submit before advancing to the next page.

Note When creating or editing lineups, you must click the Submit button on each page (if shown) to apply any changes you make. If you do not click Submit, the changes are not applied.

Free Videos All stored videos are free of charge.

Assign Pay Rate for Videos Go to the Lineup Content tab and set an individual Pay Rate and Duration for each video.

Set Pay Rate for All Set the same Pay Rate for all stored video for the specified duration.



Lineup Access

Use this page to define who can view the lineup. Select one radio button for public, groups, or individuals.

Lineup Content

Use this page to define and manage the stored content available to this lineup. Click on any thumbnail to launch the video in a preview window. Use the Add Video or Remove Video to move video from the Asset Library to the Lineup and vice versa. Use the Arrange arrows to move videos up or down as shown in the player.

Lineup Subscription Set the same Pay Rate for all live and stored video for the specified duration.

Live Streaming Check to enable live streaming. If not checked, the Live tab will not be shown on the player.

Featured Video If checked, this video be "featured" and will automatically play when the Home tab is selected. If no video is selected, the video at the top of the list becomes the featured video by default.

Set Pre Roll Sets one video in this lineup as a "pre roll." This pre roll will play first every time a stored video in this lineup is selected.


Lineup Schedule

Use Add Event or Remove Event on this page to add or remove scheduled events from the lineup associated with a player. Scheduled events are displayed differently on the player page depending on which player template is being used.

Video Players

Use this page to define and activate a video player. A video player is the complete web page (with feature options, logos, ad images, and color) that will be shown to Internet viewers when they launch your channel. There are six pre-built players (see Player Template) from which to choose. Some (e.g. the "simple" player) are minimalist with just a player and no brandings. Others (e.g. the "super" player) have branding, images, and community features like "share," "chat," and "comment." Figure 5 shows a super player that has been fully customized.

Edit Payment Set a Pay Rate, Duration, and Expiry Date for this video. This option is shown only if Assign Pay Rate for Videos is selected on the Lineup Setup tab.



Figure 5. Customized "Super" Player


Add New PlayerUse the following pages to create and customize a player. When creating or editing players, you must click the Submit button on each page (if shown) to apply any changes you make. If you do not click Submit, the changes are not applied. There is only one active player per channel.

Player Name

Use this page to add a player name and description and to select a lineup from the dropdown. Each player can only have one lineup. Select a player (see below), make any desired changes and click Submit before advancing to the next page.

Player Template

Select the player you wish to use and a preview will be automatically displayed on the right. Each of the six pre-defined templates is shown below (images are not to scale).

JW Player The JW Player is a proprietary media player that uses Microsoft's Silverlight technology to play Windows Media streams. If not present, you will be prompted to download and install this player

Windows Media Player The Windows Media Player is available on most Windows desktops.

Thumbnail

234x252 px

Simple no branding

475x486 px

Simple with branding

475x590 px

message URL http://www.silverlight.net



Player Styles

Use this page to define the font and colors used on the player page. Select one font from the dropdown that will be used for all text on the page. Use the color picker to choose a color for each of the page elements shown on the right. For best results use a color wheel and to select complementary colors and preview your choices in advance.

Live, VOD, no advertising

730x700 px

Live, VOD, with advertising

730x600 px

Live, VOD, with advertising and community features

780x1271 px


Figure 6. Color Picker

Player Content

The content on this page dynamically changes depending on which template you select. The simple templates for example will display little more than Rating, Feedback, and Copyright (these are shown on all templates except Thumbnail). The super template however (shown below) also has community features (Share, Comment, and Chat) and additional advertising support for ad server images and code.

There are also three placeholders for ad images at the top and bottom of the page and in the square area to the right of the player. As explained below, for each of these placeholders you can add a code snippet that links to an ad server (for example Google AdSense) or a static ad banner that links to a web page.

https://www.google.com/adsense



† All templates except Thumbnail. †† Super player only.

Rating †

Rate the video by assigning one (left) to five (right) stars. The Total Rating is calculated as an average of all viewer ratings.

Feedback † Hyperlink at bottom of page opens a dialog window and sends feedback e-mail to channel administrator.

Copyright † Displays copyright text in lower right corner of page.

Share Video †† Enter an e-mail address and a message to share this link with other users.

Comment †† Login and enter a comment that will be displayed for all viewers. Limit one comment per viewer.

Chat †† Login with a unique "nickname" to open an online chat session.

Ad Snippet Check to enable code from an ad server.

Ad Code Snippet Enter the code you received from AdSense or another ad server.

Ad Banner Browse to a 728x90 px image that will be used as an ad banner.

Ad Link Enter a fully qualified URL that links to a web page when you click on the ad banner.


Player Syndication

Use this page to enable or disable a syndication link on this player. When syndication is enabled, the message Contact us to syndicate this content is displayed at the bottom of the player page. Viewers who click on this link will receive a "Syndication Request" page to complete and the request will be added to the Manage Syndication page for review.

Unpublished Videos

This page shows video files that were created when a live broadcast was recorded. When scheduling an event, if you select Auto FTP after recording on the Webcast Settings page, the file will be shown here when the FTP is complete. Unpublished videos can subsequently be moved to the Asset Library or deleted.

Syndication Requests

A player syndication represents a complete player object (including all options and customizations) that a viewer can embed in their own web pages. If syndication is enabled on the active player, the message Contact us to syndicate this content is displayed at the bottom of the viewer page and viewers will be asked to submit a syndication request. When a requested has been submitted, a notification is e-mailed to the channel administrator, and if the request is approved, an e-mail containing the embed code is sent to the requesting viewer. The embed code is only valid for the domain name specified in the request. When managing numerous syndication requests, use the Search fields to filter the requests. You can search by Status (pending, approved, rejected), Domain or Player name, or by Keyword.



View DetailsThe information on this page is populated by the syndication request submitted by a viewer. Use this window to approve or reject each request. An approved request automatically generates an e-mail containing the embed code (Figure 7) to the requesting viewer.

When a syndication request is approved, an e-mail with the syndication code is sent to the viewer who made the request. They can cut and paste this code into their own web page. Note that the code will work only in the domain for which it was originally requested.


Figure 7. Syndication Embed Code

Manage Syndication

Use this page to manage approved syndication requests by player name. Select a player to view or modify approved, pending, or rejected syndication requests for that player. To see Page Views and Revenue associated with a player, run the Syndication Report.

View Comments

Super Player Only. Users can login to the super player and enter comments that are shown to all viewers. Use this page to delete comments that are outdated, inaccurate, or objectionable.

Note Do not confuse "View Comments" with "Feedback." The Feedback hyperlink sends e-mail to the channel administrator. Comments are available to all channel viewers.



Report ManagerThe Report Manager provides detailed and summary reports about channel usage. It includes reports for live streaming, VOD access, generated revenue, and syndication requests. For most reports you simply select a date range (using the calendar or the text field) and click Generate Report. Some will output directly to an Excel spreadsheet. If necessary you can use the arrows to page through the report and/or change the number of items per page.

The "Channel Dashboard" shown below is displayed when you launch the application. This report is non-configurable and provides a snapshot of current channel activity and resources.

Channel Access Report This report shows channel access for the last seven days. It shows page views from all sources and page views from unique visitors.

Bandwidth Report The arrow on the gauge points to the percentage of your allotted bandwidth consumed this month.

Storage Report The arrow on the gauge points to the percentage of your allotted storage consumed this month.


Account Summary Report

This report provides a summary of the account including all channel views and revenue. The Overall Summary Report at the top of this page summarizes critical information about your channel.

Live Streaming Report

This report shows detailed usage statistics for your live streaming channel including Stream Hits and Bandwidth consumed. Note that a "stream hit" is a request from a media player to a streaming media server. Stream hits may occur due to more than just the playing of the file. Actions such as pausing or stopping the file, or seeking within the file, may also generate stream hits.



Revenue Report

This report shows all pay-per-view videos, in the selected viewing period, for which a payment was received.


VOD Report

This report shows all video titles that were added to the channel in the selected period along with the Add Date, Pay Rate, and Expiry Period.

Syndication Report

This report shows channel activity on all syndicated players during the selected viewing period. For best results, sort by Player before exporting to Excel.


Chapter 4

Publisher AdministratorTopics in this section

Asset Library . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 33Events Scheduling . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34Dashboard Summary . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 35

The Publisher Administrator is used to manage the top-level, "publisher" viewing page. This top-level portal page has the same look-and-feel as the channel viewing pages and is customized in a similar manner—but the Publisher Administrator cannot upload video. Instead, the Publisher viewing page is a portal that can aggregate and display video (and scheduled events) from each of its associated channels. The Publisher page supports live scheduled events from channels but does not support its own live webcasting.

A typical VBoss community might be a campus environment where there is one Publisher Admin at the university level who maintains the university ("portal") page, and multiple Channel Admins at the department level who maintain the individual department ("channel") pages. The Publisher Administrator also has its own reports that aggregate information from all subordinate channels.

Asset Library The Publisher Asset Library contains all videos that have been aggregated from channels. Unlike the Channel Administrator, the Publisher Administrator cannot upload video directly into the Asset Library. Instead, stored videos uploaded by individual channels are made available to the Publisher using the Aggregate Content feature.

Video in the Publisher's Asset Library is aggregated from the channels. You cannot directly upload video into the Publisher from other sources. In order to populate the Publisher's Asset Library, the content must first be uploaded to one of the associated channels. The Asset Library page lets you Remove Video currently shown on the Publisher viewing page or Aggregate Content from the channels.

Note In most respects the behavior of the Publisher Admin is identical to the Channel Admin. For a description of all Publisher functionality, refer to the appropriate topics in the Channel Administrator on page 7. This chapter describes only those functional items listed above that behave differently for publishers.


Aggregate Library Content

This page lets you aggregate library content that has been uploaded to channels and display that content on the Publisher viewing page. Once you select a Publisher and a Channel, the application discovers all channel content that can be added to Publisher's Asset Library. Use Use Remove Video to remove content from the Publisher's Asset Library.

Events Scheduling The Publisher does not support a live webcasting stream. Instead it displays a list of events scheduled by individual channels and runs a live webcast of the event at the scheduled date and time. Upcoming events are displayed on the Publisher viewing page but you cannot add events directly using the Publisher Administrator. Instead, events scheduled by individual channels are made available to the Publisher using the Aggregate Content feature.

Upcoming events on the Publisher's Schedule page are aggregated from the channels. You cannot create a scheduled event directly in the Publisher. In order to populate the Publisher's

Publisher Administrator


Schedule page, the event must first be created on one of the associated channels. The page shown below lets you Remove Event currently shown on the Publisher's viewing page or Aggregate Content from the channels.

Aggregate Schedule Content

This page lets you aggregate schedule content that has been created on the channels and display those events on the Publisher's viewing page. Once you select a Publisher and a Channel, the application discovers all upcoming events that can be added to Publisher's Schedule page. Use Remove Event to remove events from the Publisher's Schedule.

Dashboard Summary

Note The Dashboard Summary is unique to the Publisher Administrator. All other Publisher reports behave the same as they do in the Channel Administrator. See Report Manager on page 29 for a description of other reports.


The Dashboard Summary provides a high-level snapshot of critical information for each channel including password data and bandwidth/storage information. You can also use the Dashboard to Lock/Unlock the channel. If locked, channel administrators will be locked out of the channel and unable to login for any reason.

View SummaryThis read-only report provides a comprehensive list of details about the selected channel. It is divided into Account Information and Channel Information.


Chapter 5

Admin Knowledge BaseChannel Administrators

I forgot my username and password and cannot log in to my channel account.

If you cannot log in to your account, click the Forgot Password link on the login page, and an e-mail will be sent to the Channel Administrator’s mail account. If you forget the mail address that you used to sign up for the VBoss service, contact VBoss support at 203-303-0222

Where can I find the link to my page to give to my viewers?

The link to your viewing page (if not syndicating out your player see article below for how to syndicate) is available at the top of the Channel Admin client. This link will only show the Active player. Only one player can be active at one time. Non-Active players can still be syndicated.

How can I show my VBoss video on another website than the Portal page?

1. The best way to embed a player that you have created with VBoss into your web page is to syndicate that player to your site. Go to your Video Players menu, and click the Syndication link for the player that you would like to use. Fill in your contact information, and the website that you want this player to show up on. Note that the syndication code provided will only work for that single domain, for security as well as reporting purposes.

2. Your viewers can request a copy of your player to display on their own site by clicking the Contact Us to Syndicate This Content link at the very bottom of your player window. They will also need to enter their contact information, and the website on which they want to show your player. If approved, this player will only work on the single domain provided.

3. To approve or deny the syndication requests that have been submitted for your players, go to the Syndication Requests menu from your Channel Admin Console. You can also review your syndication requests by player name by going to the Manage Syndication menu.

4. You may allow or prevent others from requesting to syndicate your content by going to the Player Syndication tab in your Player Setup window. Enable or disable the syndication request link on the bottom of your player window by checking or un-checking the Enable Syndication Link on Player box.

How can I record and publish my live broadcast as an archive?

You can create Event Schedules in your Channel Management Console, and in this event setup, you can select whether you would like to record the event, and at what video rates you would like to record. You can also select whether to automatically send the archive of the video via FTP to our servers as soon as your recording ends. If you select to auto-FTP your video, it will show up in your Unpublished Videos menu as soon as it has finished uploading.


From here, you may choose to add this video to your Asset Library. You will then add metatags to this video, adding title, description, and copyright info, as well as a thumbnail image, to make it easier to find among your published videos.

How can I view my live video broadcast inside of my company?

1. By default, your unicast stream, which will only be viewable from within your own network, will be http://YourVBrick’sIPAddress:8080/vbrickvideo1 (If your VBrick is displaying, on the front LCD Panel, that your Box IP Address is 192.168.1.2, go to http:/

/192.168.1.2:8080/vbrickvideo1 to view your unicast stream). Please note that this is not a multicast stream, and will use just as much bandwidth within your network as the VBoss stream will use when viewed over the internet.

2. If you need to set up Multicast viewing, please contact VBoss support at 203-303-0222

I am on a Mac computer and cannot view the videos in my player.

Mac viewers may need to download Flip4Mac in order to run Windows Media content. If you are using the JW player, viewers will need to download Microsoft Silverlight, available from http://www.Microsoft.com/silverlight

I cannot use the downloadable Upload Manager Application.

The downloadable upload manager runs in Windows only. If you are using a Mac computer, please use the web-based upload manager.

My VBrick appliance won’t power up:

Please call VBrick Support at 203-303-0222

I entered the URL for my viewing page, but got a Technical Difficulties page.

1. Check that you have no typos in the URL. Or just click the link at the top of the Channel Admin Console to view your Portal page.

2. Make sure that you have already set up a Video Lineup, as well as a Video Player, for your content. Nothing will display on your Portal page until you set these up.

3. Make sure that the Lineup that you want to use is the one selected for the Player that you want to use.

4. Make sure that the Player that you want to use is set as the Active Player.

I am having a problem viewing my reports.

1. Reporting may be delayed up to 48 hours after an event.2. Your reports may return errors until 48 hours after your content has been viewed. 3. If you have not broadcasted an event yet, or you have no stored content in your Video

Lineups, syndicated players, or pay-per-view videos, the respective reports will be blank, and may return errors for that reason.

How do I enlarge the video to full screen?

You can click the small icon at the bottom right of the video player, next to the volume bar, to enlarge any video in a JW Player to full screen. To enlarge a video in a Windows Media style player, just double-click on the video. Please note that the quality of your video will be reduced by stretching the video beyond the original width and length of the video.

http://www.Microsoft.com/silverlight

Admin Knowledge Base


How do I return from full screen video to normal size video viewer?

Hit the ESC key.

Can I use the Netscape browser to watch videos on VBoss?

This website is compatible with the Netscape browser. However, you may encounter some technical difficulties or reduced functionality. To have the best video viewing experience with VBoss, we recommend that you use Internet Explorer version 6.0 and above or Firefox version 2.0

Can I use my Apple Macintosh to watch videos on this web site?

This website is currently optimized for Mac users with OS X running Firefox version 2.0 or Safari version 3.0 and above. You may need to download the Flip4Mac plug-in to enable playback of Windows Media content, or Silverlight for playback of multiple forms of content. The latest version of Silverlight is available from http://www.Microsoft.com/silverlight

Can I use the AOL browser to watch videos on this website?

This website is not designed to work on the AOL browser. Therefore, you may encounter some technical difficulties. To be fully compatible with the VBoss site, we recommend that you use Microsoft Internet Explorer version 6.0 and above.

Where do I get the MAC address to register the VBrick WM appliance with my network administrator?

The MAC address is displayed on the LCD panel of the VBrick appliance. Please note that you might have to wait through a cycle of information to get to the MAC address display on the LCD panel.

Where do I get the VBrick’s IP address to register the VBrick WM appliance with my network administrator?

The IP address is displayed on the LCD panel of the VBrick appliance. Please note that you might have to wait through a cycle of information to get to the IP address display on the LCD panel.

How do I check the amount of bandwidth supported by my network?

You can always go to http://www.speakeasy.net/speedtest and select the closest city to your location. The speedtest will then display both the “download” and “upload” capacity of your network. Please note that the result is a snapshot of the exact moment that you are doing the test. Other demands on your network at any time can cause your available bandwidth to fluctuate.

Can I download videos from the VBoss sites to my computer?

All videos are currently available in a streaming format only. Therefore, you can view the videos but you can not download the files to your computer. Please note that viewers have the right to view the videos but do not have the legal rights to download the videos.

What does bandwidth mean and what is the difference between 300k and 500k?

Bandwidth is a term used to describe connection speed to the Internet. The numbers 300k, 500k and others describe the minimum Internet connection you need to experience the



http://www.speakeasy.net/speedtest


associated video or audio program. For instance, 300k requires a minimum of a 300 kbps connection to the Internet. The content may be transferred at a lower rate as long as it is suitable for the connection speed. You can always play the lower speed content over higher speed lines, but a higher number (300k, 500k, 700k, etc.) generally provides better overall quality of streaming.

Does the VBoss system support shopping carts?

The VBoss system does not support the sale of products via a shopping cart mechanism. Please stay tuned to future updates to support that feature.

Are cookies required to watch videos on this website?

Yes, cookies are required to view this website. The following are step-by-step instructions to enable the cookies on your browser. Note that these instructions may vary slightly for different browser versions.

Internet Explorer 6.0:

1. Start Internet Explorer. 2. Click the Tools menu and choose Internet Options. 3. Click the Privacy tab to display the Privacy panel. 4. Use the vertical slide bar to adjust your privacy settings to Medium. 5. Click the Advanced button. 6. Verify that the Override Automatic Cookie Handling option is not checked. Note that if

you prefer to use the Override Automatic Cookie Handling option, you must accept first-party cookies for watching videos on this website. Though not required for viewing, we strongly recommend also accepting third-party cookies for the best viewing experience.

7. Click OK. 8. Click OK again. 9. Close all open Internet Explorer browsers. 10. Reopen the browser and return to this website.

Firefox:

1. Start the Firefox browser. 2. Click the Firefox menu and choose Preferences. 3. Click the Privacy icon. 4. Select "Accept cookies from sites" in the Cookies section. 5. Close the panel.

Why are the videos choppy or freezing?

The quality of the video clip you are watching mainly depends on two factors: (a) the speed of your Internet connection and (b) the bit rate (speed) of the video clip. The faster the bit rate of the video clip, the better the quality. However, the speed of your Internet connection will limit which video clip bit rate that you can watch. For example, if you only have a 56kbs dial up connection to the Internet, the highest video clip bit rate that you will be able to watch will be 56kbs or less (most likely less as the majority of dial-up connections only get speeds of 28kbs or less due to phone line issues). If you try to watch a video clip with a bit rate of 300kbs over a dial up connection, the video will not play. That is why we offer the option to stream multiple bit rates for each video clip. Each bit rate is optimized for the different types of Internet connections available (DSL/Cable Modem/T1). For the best



viewing experience, we recommend a high speed Internet connection such as DSL or Cable Modem.

It is important to note that even if you have a high-speed connection (DSL/ Cable Modem/ T1), Internet traffic congestion affects your connection speed and/or video performance. You will get slower or faster speeds at different times depending on peak or off-peak use hours. You may also get slower speeds during the morning and afternoon, but faster speeds late at night when fewer people are online. Also, streaming quality decreases when multiple people share the same Internet connection (e.g. at work or on a home network).

Please check the speed of your Internet connection by clicking on http://www.speakeasy.net/speedtest. Select the nearest major city listed and get a speed test. The results will provide you with both your download and upload speeds.

Why can I hear the audio but not see the video?

This occurs when the speed of your Internet connection is lower than the bit rate of the video clip you are watching and can be caused by either (a) your selecting of a bit rate for the video clip that is to high for your Internet connection or (b) Internet traffic congestion reduces the speed of your connection below what it should be (for example, you have a high speed DSL or cable modem connection to the Internet, but due to Internet congestion or shared usage, the effective speed of your Internet connection is actually closer to a 56kbs dial up connection).

I have Windows Media Player 10 and am not able to watch the video.

During installation, Windows Media Player 10's will set its default video acceleration settings in a mode that may prevent your computer from being able to play the video. The solution is to adjust your video acceleration settings. To do this, click on the Tools menu in Windows Media Player 10, and then click Options. Next click on the Performance tab and then click the Advanced button. Enable 'Use high quality mode' by placing a check next to it. Then click OK on the Video Acceleration Settings and click OK to close the Options menu. If the problem persists, go back to the Video Acceleration Settings and adjust the slider from Small to Large under Digital Video. Then apply your settings.

Even though I have all the system requirements, why can't I see or hear any vid-eos?

If you launch VBoss on Windows 98 while other audio applications—including but not limited to mp3 players—are running, you may have trouble hearing VBoss sound. If this is the case, close your browser and all audio applications. Restart your browser and enter VBoss.

I am able to view the pre-roll video ads but after it finishes playing it begins to show the buffering screen and never shows video again. What can I do?

The video advertisements are not streamed from your bundled VBrick WM encoder appliance. The ads will run first and then the live video connected to the VBrick encoder will play after the advertisement. If the live video is not present and a connection fails from the WM encoder to the Internet the most likely cause is that the Publisher of the site you are visiting is not streaming any live video at that moment. If any on demand videos are available you will be able to view those videos only, until the live channel comes back on-air.




Why is the VBoss video viewer cutoff at the bottom of my monitor?

1. The bottom of VBoss video viewer may appear cutoff if your computer's screen resolution is set to 800x600 pixels or less. To adjust your screen size, complete the following steps:

2. To Change the Screen Resolution for Windows XP users: a. Click the Start button at the bottom left of your desktop. b. Click on Settings and Control Panel. c. Click on the Display icon. d. Click on the Settings tab. e. Put the mouse on top of the arrow on "Screen Area" and move it towards "More".

Choose 1024x768 pixels. f. Click OK. g. Click OK again on the confirmation message. The screen will turn completely black

for a few seconds. h. Click YES on another confirmation message within 15 seconds, otherwise the

change will not take effect. i. Open a browser and return to a VBoss site. Note: You can change these settings at any time.

3. To Change The Screen Resolution for MAC OS X users: a. Click the Apple icon button at the top left of your desktop. b. Click on System Preferences. c. Click on the “Displays” icon in the “Hardware” section d. Click on any of settings larger than 1024 x 768 accommodate your video window. e. Close the window and return to the VBoss site.

Can my office's firewall be blocking the video?

1. Your company may have a firewall that is configured so that either you cannot connect to the video servers or video traffic is prohibited on your network. Check with your network administrator to see if there are any known issues with watching video.

2. If streaming video is blocked within your network, and the VBrick appliance is inside your firewall, you will have to allow the video stream to go through your proxy server, by registering either your VBrick appliance's MAC address or its IP address with your network administrator, as well as enable both outbound streaming from the brick, and inbound streaming from streamos.com

3. If the VBrick is not in your network, but you want to view the video, please allow inbound streaming from streamos.com

What about my office computer? Could it be the problem?

If your computer is running Microsoft Windows NT, Windows 2000, Windows XP Professional or Windows 2003 server and you are not logged onto your office computer as an administrator or as a member of the administrator group, then the Microsoft Windows Media Player on your computer may not be able to automatically download the codecs required to view the video. Under these circumstances, you will need to (a) have your network administrator install Microsoft Windows Media Player 9 on your computer (or the Microsoft Windows Media Player 9 codec pack if your computer is running Windows NT) or (b) have



your network administrator grant your logon account local administrative rights on your office computer.

I cannot hear my audio feed.

1. First, please make sure that your camera is plugged in and powered on, and that the lens cap is not in place.

2. Is the audio muted on your camera?3. Are you using a mixing board? If so, is the audio level high enough?4. Are you using a microphone? Is the microphone powered on? 5. Make sure that the volume is raised on your computer, as well as on your player.6. If you still hear nothing, check all of your audio cables from the source to the brick, to

make sure that all of your cable connections are secure 7. Log in as a channel admin to http://www.vbossengage.com/engage and go to your

Encoder Settings menu. Set your audio gain to +5 DB. Can you hear the audio now? 8. If you hear audio, but only very quietly, try raising the audio gain incrementally until it is

loud enough to hear. 9. Make sure that the audio that you are using to test your feed is at about the same level as

the audio for your event will be, for an accurate test.

My VBrick appliance displays the error message: “DHCP Failed, Retry: 15 Min-utes” or “Video Disabled, DHCP Failure”

1. Make sure that your Ethernet cable is plugged in to the Ethernet port on the back of the VBrick appliance, and not to the COM1 or COM2 ports.

2. Make sure that your Ethernet cable is in good condition, and has an internet connection. To do this, check that the Link and 10/100 lights on the back of the VBrick are both lit, and that the Activity light is blinking intermittently. If they do not light up, there may be a problem with your Ethernet cable. Try another Ethernet cable. If the problem persists, you may have an issue with your VBrick appliance, and should call VBrick support at 203-303-0222.

3. Does your network support DHCP? If not, you may need to set your VBrick appliance to a Static IP address. Alternately, you may be able to connect your VBrick appliance to a switch with DHCP which is connected to your network, and obtain an IP address via DHCP in that way. If this does not work for you, please call VBoss support at 203-303-0222 so that we can set this up remotely for you.

4. Make sure that your Ethernet cable is not a Crossover Cable. Crossover cables generally have a tag, indicating X-over, or Crossover, and will not work with the VBrick appliance for VBoss services.

My VBrick appliance’s LCD panel is displaying the error “Slot1 Video Input Problem.”

1. This means that your camera is not functioning correctly with the appliance.2. Is your camera plugged in correctly and powered on?

a. Make sure that your audio cables are plugged in to the appliance’s audio jacks, and that video cables are plugged in to video jacks, and that all connections are secure and not loose.

b. Make sure that your cables are plugged in to the output jacks on your camera or mixing board.


3. Make sure that you have removed your lens cap from the camera4. Make sure that the camera is not in Demo mode. Some cameras must have a tape in the

deck to leave demo mode. Others need you to leave the tape deck open, in order to play without recording on the camera. Check the user manual to find out how to optimize your camera for your purposes.

5. Make sure that you have selected the appropriate video input mode (S-Video or Composite video). This is configurable within the Encoder settings menu, at http://www.vbossengage.com/engage when logged in as a channel admin.

6. Is your camera compatible with the VBrick appliance?a. There are converters in your VBoss accessory kit for S-Video, Composite, and RCA

video cables, and converters for RCA and mini-jack audio. These are the input types that VBrick supports. If your camera does not use one of these types of cable, you must supply your own converters to adapt to one of VBrick’s accepted input types. Converters are probably available at your local electronics store.

b. VBrick supports Sony cameras. If you continue to have camera issues, we recommend the use of a Sony camera.

My VBrick appliance is displaying “HTTP Push Problem” on the LCD panel, and I cannot view my live video.

1. Your live stream is set to Off-Air. Browse to http://www.vbossengage.com/engage and log in as a channel admin. Go to the Live Webcasting menu and set your stream to On-Air.

2. Your network’s proxy server is blocking the streaming media. Speak to your network admin, and add the VBrick appliance’s IP address or MAC address (depending on your network setup) to your proxy server’s list of exceptions, and also add an exception, both inbound and outbound, for the push server domain, streamos.com. Akamai streams require authentication, so not only does the VBrick appliance push streaming video via HTTP, but Akamai also returns an authorization to the brick via HTTP, which will be blocked by many secure networks. Network administrators need to both allow the VBrick to send video out, as well as allow streamos.com to send data in to the network, in order for the stream to be successful. If this is not feasible within certain networks, the customer may need to be switched to another CDN, such as Powerstream, or Highwinds, which does not use HTTP authentication, and will not return these errors.

3. Your event is at a hotel, which uses a splash page (a pop-up window that asks for your password before you may use the hotel’s internet connection). The VBrick appliance cannot negotiate with this splash page to gain access to the network, so you must ask the hotel network admin to disable the splash page for either the IP address or the MAC address of your brick, depending on their network configuration.

4. Your stream was left On-Air for a few days without the VBrick appliance plugged in. Now, when you plug in the brick, you receive an error “HTTP Push Problem.” Our CDN, Akamai, will deactivate your stream if it is left On-Air with no content streaming for more than 2 days. Call VBrick support at 203-303-0222 to have your live stream refreshed.

5. You log in to as a channel admin, and go to turn your stream on-air, but you do not see the Change Live Stream Status button. This probably means that your live event has expired. Please call VBrick support at 203-303-0222 to have your stream revived.






No errors are displaying on my VBrick appliance’s LCD panel, but I am unable to view my live video on my portal page.

1. Your network has a content filter (such as Astaro or Bluecoat) that is blocking you from viewing streaming media. Upgrade the software for this content filter, and your video should play.

2. Attempt to view your live stream from another computer, if possible, to make sure that the problem is not with your video card, processor speed, or bandwidth availability.

3. If your video bitrate is set to more than 90% of your network upload bandwidth capabilities, it is possible that you will not have enough overhead to send out this stream.

4. Attempt to view your live stream from outside of the network that the VBrick appliance is pushing from, if possible, to see whether the issue lies with viewing streaming video within your network. a. If you are able to view your video stream from a computer on another network, you

will need to speak to the network admin for your network to allow video streaming in from the domain streamos.com.

b. If this is not possible, you may opt to set up Multicast video for viewing the stream within your network. The multicast stream will not use the Portal page for viewing, and will open in Windows Media Player by default, and it is not compatible with Mac computers, but it will use far less network bandwidth than multiple viewers of your portal page in the same network would use. Please call VBoss support at 203-303-0222 to set up multicasting from your VBrick appliance.

c. If you are unable to view your video from any other computer, this means that your stream is not getting through your network’s Proxy server. Continue to Step 5.

5. You have a secured network, which is not allowing a HTTP or Video push out of your network a. In a secure network, the initial push of data packets may be allowed, and your VBrick

appliance will be able to authenticate and begin the push, but video streaming is being blocked, so the video packets are not getting through your proxy server. This can actually fool the VBrick appliance to believe that its push is getting out, while only the initial HTTP-based packets were actually allowed out of the network.

b. Speak to the Network Administrator at the event location. Ask the IT to open the outbound HTTP push from the IP address or MAC address (depending on the setup of the network) of the VBrick appliance, and allow the VBrick’s IP or MAC address through the proxy server.

c. If monitoring of the live stream is also required within your network, ask the Network Admin to enable streaming video inbound over the network, or to specific PCs which will be used for the monitoring.

If your network will not allow inbound video streams to the network, you can browse to http://vbrickipaddress:8080/vbrickvideo1 to view the unicast stream. (if your brick’s IP address, which displays on the front LCD panel of the brick, is 172.22.2.10, you would want to browse to http://172.22.2.10:8080/vbrickvideo1 to view the stream.) Please note: this is the Unicast stream, and not the Multicast stream link, and will use as much of your network bandwidth as viewing the VBoss stream would use. If you would like to set up multicasting from your VBrick appliance to your network, please call VBrick support at 203-303-0222

Note If you have any questions that have not been answered above, please let us know, either by phone at 203-303-0229, or by e-mail to [email protected]

mailto:[email protected]



Chapter 6

User Knowledge BaseEnd Users

I am on a Mac computer, and cannot view the videos in my player:

Mac viewers may need to download Flip4Mac in order to run Windows Media content. If you are using the JW player, viewers will need to download Microsoft Silverlight, available from http://www.Microsoft.com/silverlight

How do I enlarge the video to full screen?

You can click the small icon at the bottom right of the video player, next to the volume bar, to enlarge any video in a JW Player to full screen. To enlarge a video in a Windows Media style player, just double-click on the video. Please note that the quality of your video will be reduced by stretching the video beyond the original width and length of the video.

How do I return from full screen video to normal size video viewer?

Hit the ESC key.

Can I use the Netscape browser to watch videos on VBoss?

This website is compatible with the Netscape browser. However, you may encounter some technical difficulties or reduced functionality. To have the best video viewing experience with VBoss, we recommend that you use Internet Explorer version 6.0 and above or Firefox version 2.0

Can I use my Apple Macintosh to watch videos on this web site?

This website is currently optimized for Mac users with OS X running Firefox version 2.0 or Safari version 3.0 and above. You may need to download the Flip4Mac plug-in to enable playback of Windows Media content, or Silverlight for playback of multiple forms of content. The latest version of Silverlight is available from http://www.Microsoft.com/silverlight

Can I use the AOL browser to watch videos on this website?

This website is not designed to work on the AOL browser. Therefore, you may encounter some technical difficulties. To be fully compatible with the VBoss site, we recommend that you use Microsoft Internet Explorer version 6.0 and above.

How do I check the amount of bandwidth supported by my network?

You can always go to http://www.speakeasy.net/speedtest and select the closest city to your location. The speedtest will then display both the “download” and “upload” capacity of your network. Please note that the result is a snapshot of the exact moment that you are doing the test. Other demands on your network at any time can cause your available bandwidth to fluctuate.





Can I download videos from the VBoss sites to my computer?

All videos are currently available in a streaming format only. Therefore, you can view the videos but you can not download the files to your computer. Please note that viewers have the right to view the videos but do not have the legal rights to download the videos.

What does bandwidth mean and what is the difference between 300k and 500k?

Bandwidth is a term used to describe connection speed to the Internet. The numbers 300k, 500k and others describe the minimum Internet connection you need to experience the associated video or audio program. For instance, 300k requires a minimum of a 300 kbps connection to the Internet. The content may be transferred at a lower rate as long as it is suitable for the connection speed. You can always play the lower speed content over higher speed lines, but a higher number (300k, 500k, 700k, etc.) generally provides better overall quality of streaming.

Does the VBoss system support shopping carts?

The VBoss system does not support the sale of products via a shopping cart mechanism. Please stay tuned to future updates to support that feature.

Are cookies required to watch videos on this website?

Yes, cookies are required to view this website. The following are step-by-step instructions to enable the cookies on your browser. Note that these instructions may vary slightly for different browser versions.

Internet Explorer 6.0:

1. Start Internet Explorer. 2. Click the Tools menu and choose Internet Options. 3. Click the Privacy tab to display the Privacy panel. 4. Use the vertical slide bar to adjust your privacy settings to Medium. 5. Click the Advanced button. 6. Verify that the Override Automatic Cookie Handling option is not checked. Note that if

you prefer to use the Override Automatic Cookie Handling option, you must accept first-party cookies for watching videos on this website. Though not required for viewing, we strongly recommend also accepting third-party cookies for the best viewing experience.

7. Click OK. 8. Click OK again. 9. Close all open Internet Explorer browsers. 10. Reopen the browser and return to this website.

Firefox:

1. Start the Firefox browser. 2. Click the Firefox menu and choose Preferences. 3. Click the Privacy icon. 4. Select "Accept cookies from sites" in the Cookies section. 5. Close the panel.

Why are the videos choppy or freezing?

The quality of the video clip you are watching mainly depends on two factors: (a) the speed of your Internet connection and (b) the bit rate (speed) of the video clip. The faster the bit

User Knowledge Base


rate of the video clip, the better the quality. However, the speed of your Internet connection will limit which video clip bit rate that you can watch. For example, if you only have a 56kbs dial up connection to the Internet, the highest video clip bit rate that you will be able to watch will be 56kbs or less (most likely less as the majority of dial-up connections only get speeds of 28kbs or less due to phone line issues). If you try to watch a video clip with a bit rate of 300kbs over a dial up connection, the video will not play. That is why we offer the option to stream multiple bit rates for each video clip. Each bit rate is optimized for the different types of Internet connections available (DSL/Cable Modem/T1). For the best viewing experience, we recommend a high speed Internet connection such as DSL or Cable Modem.

It is important to note that even if you have a high-speed connection (DSL/ Cable Modem/ T1), Internet traffic congestion affects your connection speed and/or video performance. You will get slower or faster speeds at different times depending on peak or off-peak use hours. You may also get slower speeds during the morning and afternoon, but faster speeds late at night when fewer people are online. Also, streaming quality decreases when multiple people share the same Internet connection (e.g. at work or on a home network).

Please check the speed of your Internet connection by clicking on http://www.speakeasy.net/speedtest. Select the nearest major city listed and get a speed test. The results will provide you with both your download and upload speeds.

Why can I hear the audio but not see the video?

This occurs when the speed of your Internet connection is lower than the bit rate of the video clip you are watching and can be caused by either (a) your selecting of a bit rate for the video clip that is to high for your Internet connection or (b) Internet traffic congestion reduces the speed of your connection below what it should be (for example, you have a high speed DSL or cable modem connection to the Internet, but due to Internet congestion or shared usage, the effective speed of your Internet connection is actually closer to a 56kbs dial up connection).

I have Windows Media Player 10 and am not able to watch the video.

During installation, Windows Media Player 10's will set its default video acceleration settings in a mode that may prevent your computer from being able to play the video. The solution is to adjust your video acceleration settings. To do this, click on the Tools menu in Windows Media Player 10, and then click Options. Next click on the Performance tab and then click the Advanced button. Enable 'Use high quality mode' by placing a check next to it. Then click OK on the Video Acceleration Settings and click OK to close the Options menu. If the problem persists, go back to the Video Acceleration Settings and adjust the slider from Small to Large under Digital Video. Then apply your settings.

Even though I have all the system requirements, why can't I see or hear any videos?

If you launch VBoss on Windows 98 while other audio applications—including but not limited to mp3 players—are running, you may have trouble hearing VBoss sound. If this is the case, close your browser and all audio applications. Restart your browser and enter VBoss. I am able to view the pre-roll video ads but after it finishes playing it begins to show the buffering screen and never shows video again. What can I do?

The video advertisements are not streamed from your bundled VBrick WM encoder appliance. The ads will run first and then the live video connected to the VBrick encoder will play after the advertisement. If the live video is not present and a connection fails from the




WM encoder to the Internet the most likely cause is that the Publisher of the site you are visiting is not streaming any live video at that moment. If any on demand videos are available you will be able to view those videos only, until the live channel comes back on-air.

Why is the VBoss video viewer cutoff at the bottom of my monitor?

1. The bottom of VBoss video viewer may appear cutoff if your computer's screen resolution is set to 800x600 pixels or less. To adjust your screen size, complete the following steps:

2. To Change the Screen Resolution for Windows XP users: a. Click the Start button at the bottom left of your desktop. b. Click on Settings and Control Panel. c. Click on the Display icon. d. Click on the Settings tab. e. Put the mouse on top of the arrow on "Screen Area" and move it towards "More".

Choose 1024x768 pixels. f. Click OK. g. Click OK again on the confirmation message. The screen will turn completely black

for a few seconds. h. Click YES on another confirmation message within 15 seconds, otherwise the

change will not take effect. i. Open a browser and return to a VBoss site. Note: You can change these settings at any time.

3. To Change The Screen Resolution for MAC OS X users: a. Click the Apple icon button at the top left of your desktop. b. Click on System Preferences. c. Click on the “Displays” icon in the “Hardware” section d. Click on any of settings larger than 1024 x 768 accommodate your video window. e. Close the window and return to the VBoss site.

Can my office's firewall be blocking the video?

1. Your company may have a firewall that is configured so that either you cannot connect to the video servers or video traffic is prohibited on your network. Check with your network administrator to see if there are any known issues with watching video.

2. If streaming video is blocked within your network, and the VBrick appliance is inside your firewall, you will have to allow the video stream to go through your proxy server, by registering either your VBrick appliance's MAC address or its IP address with your network administrator, as well as enable both outbound streaming from the brick, and inbound streaming from streamos.com

3. If the VBrick is not in your network, but you want to view the video, please allow inbound streaming from streamos.com

What about my office computer? Could it be the problem?

If your computer is running Microsoft Windows NT, Windows 2000, Windows XP Professional or Windows 2003 server and you are not logged onto your office computer as an administrator or as a member of the administrator group, then the Microsoft Windows Media Player on your computer may not be able to automatically download the codecs required to view the video. Under these circumstances, you will need to (a) have your network

User Knowledge Base


administrator install Microsoft Windows Media Player 9 on your computer (or the Microsoft Windows Media Player 9 codec pack if your computer is running Windows NT) or (b) have your network administrator grant your logon account local administrative rights on your office computer.



Chapter 7

FAQsFrequently Asked Questions

What is VBoss?

VBoss is VBrick Online Streaming Service. VBoss empowers anyone to deliver professional quality live and stored audio/video to viewers via the public Internet.

What makes VBoss unique?

VBoss includes the award-winning VBrick Video Network Appliance, Internet streaming bandwidth, file storage, personalized viewing pages, and complete remote management. Unlike other services, VBoss allows you to broadcast from virtually anywhere, even from behind firewalls, while still providing comprehensive and automatic configuration management. VBoss simplicity, reliability, and management make it an industry-first.

Is VBoss reliable?

VBoss is the most reliable service available today. In addition to automatically provisioning the “insanely reliable” VBrick appliance, VBoss provides streaming service from Akamai, one of the industry leading content distribution networks.

How does VBoss work?

Put a provided VBrick appliance at a desired broadcast location and connect it to your audio/video source (e.g. camera, microphone) via conventional composite or S-Video cables, and to your network via Ethernet cable. Your live audio/video is compressed using Windows Media format (WM9) and it is streamed over the public Internet using firewall-friendly HTTP (port 80) to one or more Content Distribution Network entry points. Your audience views the live video via a VBoss hosted web page that you customize. The viewing web page displays the video by accessing the Content Distribution Network.

You record your live video directly on the VBrick appliance using the Events Scheduling feature. Scheduling your events with VBoss allows you to start/stop your broadcast, monitor your live video, schedule recordings, and automatically send them via FTP to our servers, where they will be available for playback. The VBrick appliance at your location is automatically configured by the VBoss server. In case of difficulty, VBoss support technicians can remotely access the appliance to ensure rapid problem resolution.

What video quality does VBoss provide?

Excellent quality. Video quality depends on the video bit rate and resolution settings. Because viewers may have different network capabilities, VBoss supports Multiple Bit Rate encoding of the live, and subsequently stored, video. For example, this allows viewers that are capable of receiving a 700 Kbps stream to receive a higher quality video than viewers that are capable of receiving only 300 Kbps.


Is my VBoss video source portable?

Yes. Unlike other complex solutions, you may relocate the VBrick appliance at will. You may take it to remote venues, move if from room to room, operate over a wireless network, or even take it home with you. As long as it has a connection to the public Internet, you can broadcast live video.

I already have a VBrick. Can I use it with VBoss?

Yes. We offer our VBoss remote management services to all VBrick owners. Please contact our Sales team at 203-303-0299 for more information.

How do I control my viewing page?

VBoss Engage includes a “Channel Portal” that provides control over your audience video display. The VBoss Engage console is a web-based application that you can access from your web browser. VBoss supports Internet Explorer 6.0 and higher, as well as Firefox and Safari. VBoss runs on both Windows computers as well as Apple Macs.

Can I use VBoss only for stored video?

You could, but the real value of VBoss is robust support for the Internet distribution of live video and the ability to record and publish an archive of your live video.

Should I use VBoss to create a permanent Internet TV station?

Yes! VBoss is the perfect platform to easily and instantly create a reliable Internet TV station, complete with advertising and pay-per-view options, as well as to integrate this Internet TV station into your existing web site.

What type of Internet connection do I need to broadcast live video?

It is important to understand that virtually all Internet connections are bidirectional, and that in most cases any heavy use is on the “downlink” side, not the “uplink” side (e.g. employees downloading documents from the public Internet). VBoss makes most use of the “uplink” capacity, and can operate over a wide variety of Internet connections, including DSL, Cable Modems, Corporate T1/E1’s, and satellite services.

A home DSL connection is enough for most live video streams. We typically provision the VBrick appliance to stream at 300 Kbps (268 Kbps video + 32 Kbps audio) which works well for 320x240 video at 15 frames per second. Some DSL networks have an upstream bandwidth of only 400 Kbps which may work but it is best to allow for network congestion with substantial headroom so some experimental settings may be necessary.

Some Cable Modems have a 750 Kbps+ upstream capacity which is more than enough for our recommended 300 Kbps streaming rate. Customers might elect to increase the bitrate to our Enhanced quality stream, at 576 Kbps, which will enable a good quality video stream at 30 frames per second. Corporate networks typically have ample uplink capacity, and can support higher streaming rates. Many venues like hotel meeting rooms have access to Internet connections supported by high speed services that can be provisioned for the event. Mobile broadcasting is possible with our recommended DigiWAN wireless modems for cellular service, or BGAN satellite service. These services currently support up to approximately 250 Kbps.

If you have a high bandwidth connection, you can select to stream all 3 of the video qualities that we offer; 300Kbps, which is our standard quality stream, 576Kbps, which is our Enhanced quality stream, and 864Kbps, which is our Highest quality stream. The total upload

FAQs


bandwidth required to stream all 3 bitrates is 1.74 Mbps, plus a small amount of network overhead bandwidth. Streaming all 3 bitrates should not be attempted unless you know that your network has at least 2 Mbps upload speed, on a line dedicated to use with VBoss.

What type of Internet connection do my viewers need to watch my live video?

Viewers need public Internet access with bandwidth equal to or better than the rate at which you are streaming. While you may be able to stream at 1,000 Kbps, your viewers may not have the capacity to view such high speed streams. Most broadband users can receive at least 300 Kbps.

What are the operating system and browser requirements for viewing my VBoss video stream?

VBoss supports both Windows-based and Apple Mac computers. You will be able to view your video using Internet Explorer, Firefox, or Safari browsers. If your Video Player uses the JW Player template, all viewers on those Operating systems using the above browsers will be able to view your video. If you select the Windows Media Player template, Mac users will have to download the free Flip4Mac plug-in order to watch your video stream.

How can I record and publish my live broadcast as an archive?

You can create Event Schedules in your Channel Management Console, and in this event setup, you can select whether you would like to record the event, and at what video rates you would like to record. You can also select whether to automatically send the archive of the video via FTP to our servers as soon as your recording ends. If you select to auto-FTP your video, it will show up in your Unpublished Videos menu as soon as it has finished uploading. From here, you may choose to add this video to your Asset Library. You will then add metatags to this video, adding title, description, and copyright info, as well as a thumbnail image, to make it easier to find among your published videos.

What settings can I change on my own through the VBoss Server?

You may change audio/video settings, enable/disable streaming, and remotely schedule start/stop of recording. You may also set and change viewing themes and templates, and view statistics.

How can I view my live video broadcast inside of my company?

By default, your unicast stream, which will only be viewable from within your own network, will be http://YourVBrick’sIPAddress:8080/vbrickvideo1 (If your VBrick is displaying, on the front LCD Panel, that your Box IP Address is 192.168.1.2, go to http://192.168.1.2:8080/

vbrickvideo1 to view your unicast stream). Please note that this is not a multicast stream, and will use just as much bandwidth within your network as the VBoss stream will use if viewed over the internet. If you need to set up Multicast viewing, please contact VBoss support at 203-303-0222

What resources are available for live event production?

VBoss does not provide on-site staff to camera operations, lighting, sound, etc. In many cases, these services are provided by Audio/Video staff as part of a large venue production. In this case, the staff merely needs to connect the live audio/video production feed to the VBrick. In many other cases, only a camera on a tripod is needed and virtually anyone can point the camera as needed.


Can I use an existing CDN account with VBoss?

Not exactly. VBoss uses and meters specific streaming media network providers, including Akamai and PowerStream. Your existing CDN can “pull” from VBoss if desired. If you wish to use your existing CDN exclusively, you should consider purchasing a VBrick appliance.

Can I use my VBoss VBrick appliance for other things than VBoss?

No, your VBoss VBrick is set up to be used only with your VBoss service. If you would like to use the VBrick appliance for some of its many other uses, please contact our Sales team at 203-303-0299 to purchase a VBrick appliance with the VBoss service as an add-on.

VBrick Systems, Inc.12 Beaumont Road

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